1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus capable of being connected to a plurality of external apparatuses such as personal computers or work stations, performing image formation based on data sent from the external apparatuses, and having a plurality of paper ejection trays for receiving image-formed sheets thereon.
2. Description of the Related Art
Among image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimiles, and so on being connected to external apparatuses such as network-connected personal computers (hereinafter, sometimes referred to as PCs) and performing image formation based on output instructions (print instructions) from the external apparatuses, one having a plurality of paper ejection trays for receiving image-formed sheets has conventionally been known. An image forming apparatus of this type displays information on the completion of paper ejection on a display panel disposed in the vicinity of the operation panel of the image forming apparatus or on the monitors of PCs which are external apparatuses.
However, in such a conventional image forming apparatus displaying information on the completion of paper ejection only on the display panel in the vicinity of the operation panel of the main unit of the image forming apparatus or on the monitors of the PCs, it is difficult to recognize the completion information at a position other than in the vicinity of the operation panel of the main unit of the image forming apparatus or at the monitors of the PCs, for example, at the location of the paper ejection unit. Particularly, in a case where the display panel of the main unit of the image forming apparatus or the monitor of the PC is away from the paper ejection unit (paper ejection trays), when sheets are ejected into a plurality of paper ejection trays in response to an ejection instruction from the same PC, in which paper ejection trays the sheets ejected in response to the user's instruction are present cannot be conspicuously shown to the user.